Who was Carl Hertz?

Carl Hertz (1859–1924) was an American magician, born Louis Morgenstein in San Francisco. He toured America and Europe, then in 1896 took one of Robert Paul’s Theatrograph film projectors on a tour of South Africa and Australia, showing moving pictures alongside his magic. He is remembered for the vanishing bird cage, and he published his autobiography, A Modern Mystery Merchant, in 1924.

Where did Carl Hertz come from?

Hertz was born Louis Morgenstein in San Francisco in 1859. Carl Hertz was the stage name he performed under. After becoming skilled at magic, he toured America and Europe, appearing in music halls.

What was he known for on stage?

Hertz is remembered for the vanishing bird cage, in which a small cage with a bird inside seems to vanish from the performer’s hands. Conjuring Archive, an index of magic literature, lists a tip on the vanishing bird cage credited to Hertz in The Jinx (1935).

The trick also led to an unusual appearance. Wikipedia says he was summoned to the British House of Commons on 2 August 1921 to show that his act did not harm the birds, and that he performed the trick and then produced the bird unharmed. Mike Caveney wrote about Hertz and the House of Commons in MAGIC magazine in 2010.

How was he involved in early film?

Hertz was one of several magicians who added films to their shows in the early years of cinema. He acquired one of the first Theatrograph projectors made by Robert Paul.

On 28 March 1896, he sailed from England aboard the Royal Mail ship Norman, and showed the Theatrograph to his fellow passengers during the voyage.

In South Africa, he gave a press show at the Empire Palace of Varieties in Johannesburg on 9 May 1896, followed by a public screening on 11 May. The Who’s Who of Victorian Cinema calls it the first public screening of moving pictures in that country, and the ESAT encyclopedia says it was probably the first. He then took the projector to Australia.

Where else did he tour?

After Australia, Hertz toured Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, China, Japan, the Fiji Islands and Hawaii.

What about his family and later life?

Hertz married Emilie D’Alton. In 1924, the year he died, he published his autobiography, A Modern Mystery Merchant: The Trials, Tricks and Travels of Carl Hertz, the Famous American Illusionist.

What should you look at next?

• Tommy Wonder Classic Collection Vanishing Bird Cage by JM Craft. A reconstruction of the bird cage prop used by Tommy Wonder, built to be as close as possible to his own version. The prop does not include an explanation; the description points you to The Books of Wonder and Visions of Wonder for that.

For more stage magicians of the same era, read about David Devant, Chung Ling Soo and John Nevil Maskelyne, or browse our free ebooks.

Frequently asked questions